Chapter One—
Diagon Alley


Meril landed heavily at the bottom of the fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron, the wizard pub that led to Diagon Alley.

Coughing, Meril got to her feet and brushed the soot off her clothes. She would never get used to traveling by Floo powder; nor would she get used to the soot invading her lungs, leaving her feeling congested for hours until she finally coughed it all up in black spurts.

Her mother arrived shortly after her, landing much more gracefully than her daughter had a moment before. She stepped out of the fireplace and aided Meril in wiping the soot from her clothes.

Looking up, she realized that her mom was used to it, which she hadn't been last time they had traveled by it which was...a little more than a year ago, probably. Back then, and always before than, too, she would cough and splutter just as much as her daughter; her clothes would be just as blackened as Meril's. Now, though, she had little more than a smudge on her hand.

Somewhere in that year at the German school, Mrs. Lizlow had gotten used to the Floo network. It was a small change, but it made Meril sad to realize she had missed more than just life at Hogwarts while she was gone. She had missed all of the small details—the inconsequential happenings—of her mother's life. While this must have been the case while she was at Hogwarts, too, somehow this struck her as more significant.

"Come on, Mer! Let's go!" Ms. Lizlow said breathlessly, pocketing her little hand mirror and the handkerchief she had used to wipe the soot from Meril's face.

The two Lizlows navigated of the dank, dimly lit pub to the back where the entrance to Diagon Alley lay. Three up, two across. Mrs. Lizlow tapped the brick with her wand. An archway appeared in the brick and she and her daughter walked through it, stepping out onto the busy street. Meril took a long whiff of the air; it smelt like home. And cookies.

"I've always loved Diagon Alley," Ms. Lizlow said wistfully, looking around with her bright blue eyes. "The hustle-and-bustle; the cheer; the stores."

"And the guys, right?" Meril added with a playful smile.

"Oh, you can't forget that part," Ms. Lizlow said with a laugh. "Unfortunately for me, though, they're all your age or my dad's age. And if they aren't, they aren't single."

The woman sighed, her face falling into a sort of despair. Meril looked at her mother and for the first time saw the wrinkles of age in her pretty face. Her mom had always seemed eternally young to her, like a school girl. She had never before seen any signs of age--let alone middle age--on her perfect skin.

"Don't worry, Ma," Meril said awkwardly, draping her arm over her mom's shoulder. "There's someone--else--out there for you. You're bound to find him, if not here, today, then…well…some other time; maybe even some other place."

Ms. Lizlow looked at her daughter with doubt before smiling half-heartedly and shrugging off her daughter's arm. The two stood still for a moment longer, looking around at the familiar shops, taking it all in. It had been a while for both of them.

"First stop, the bank!" Meril's mother suddenly exclaimed. She smiled brightly at her soon-to-be-fifteen-year-old daughter and began walking towards the large, marble structure.

"Right-o!" Meril exclaimed in turn; she threw her fist in the air and marched forward, easily passing her mother, who laughed along behind her daughter, picking up the march quickly. As they moved down the street, the occasional person would stop and stare at them with odd expressions.

"Hello there, Melody! It has been quite a while since I've seen you around here!" a man Meril didn't recognize called out, stopping in his tracks to watch the two. While the older of the Lizlows immediately grew embarrassed and stopped, Meril just laughed, completely comfortable with herself and her funny little march.

"Mer, okay--Mer. Meril, sweetie, you can stop now," Ms. Lizlow whispered out of the side of her mouth before stepping forward to speak with the older wizard who had addressed her.

The words had no effect on the younger. As her mother made idle chitchat with her old acquaintance, Meril marched around in circles, enjoying herself as she stared up into the sky.

"Sweetie, I get that you love your independence and your....unique spirit, but if you don't stop you'll march right into the wall," Melody Lizlow warned her daughter, appearing suddenly beside her.

Meril stopped moving at once and looked down to find her face inches from the brick wall of one of the shops. She grinned sheepishly at her mother and proceeded to walk—normally—up the steep steps of Gringott's Bank.

Once up the stairs, the mother walked to the tall, imposing double doors; her thin hand hesitated over the handle. Meril sidled up beside her mother and rested her head on her shoulder. As she did so, her eyes caught site of the inscription on the door.

"Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn.

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more than treasure there.''

"Can you go inside by yourself? I just feel like sitting out her for a bit," Melody said huskily.

Meril raised her head and gave her mother an odd look. "Yeah, okay. Sure." Smiling softly, she heaved the heavy door open and stepped inside. She had to blink a few times before her eyes could adjust to the dim light. Then, taking a deep breath, she approached the counter.

"Hello," she greeted cheerily, doing her best not to shudder as she stared at the frightening goblins which surrounded her. "I need to get some money out of my vault."

The goblin peered down at her over his spectacles and past his long, pointed nose. "Do you have your key?" he asked; Meril inwardly shivered at the goblin's cold voice.

"Oh, um....hang on just one second."

The goblin merely blinked his dark, beady eyes in her direction and looked away, his interest in her having clearly already passed. Meril rushed back outside and found her mom just where she had left her--in front of the door.

"Ow, Meril!" Ms. Lizlow grumbled, stumbling backwards; she caught herself just before she fell down the stairs. "Watch it, will you?"

"Hey, it's your fault for standing outside the door like that."

"Humph. I give you that one. So, you got the money already? That sure was quick."

"I can tell by the way you stood there that you have absolutely no idea how long I was gone; but no, I don't have the money. I need the key in order to do that. It seems that, in the time since I have been gone, we have both forgotten the protocol to procuring money from the bank."

"Yes, I never did give that to you, did I? Well, here you go!" Melody, ignoring her daughter's comment, procured a polished silver key from her pocket and placed it gently in Meril's hand. Meril closed her fingers around the cold metal and headed back inside.

"I have my key now! My mother is a bit absent-minded; we just got back from Germany and we're both a bit tired," she informed the goblin, though she was positive he really didn't care. Sliding the key across the desk, she added, "Meril Lizlow."

"Right. Follow me."

And so she did, though she was a bit reluctant in doing so. She had never traveled to the underground vaults without her mother and was a bit wary about being alone done there with a goblin that was abnormally unpleasant.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

"I got the money; let's roll!"

Meril stood outside Gringotts holding a heavy pouch filled with galleons, sickles, and knuts. She still felt sick from the ride to the vault and back—another thing she'd never get used to—and her eyes were having trouble readjusting to the bright sunlight.

"Okay! Let's go get....books, I guess! Yes, let's get books!" Ms. Lizlow said, picking herself up off the ground.

Meril could tell by the streaks on her mom's cheeks that she had been crying. Again.

As usual, she had done her best in hiding it. She'd wiped away the mascara residue and flushed her eyes with water--from who knows where--so that you couldn't see the red. There was something that never looked right after she cried, though; she was paler, her hair was a mess, her eyes lost their sparkles--something. Meril could never quite place what it was, but their was a stark different between pre-crying and post-crying Mrs. Lizlow.

"Yeah, books sounds good. What do I need this year?" Meril said, choosing to pretend she hadn't notice, as usual.

"Hang on, let me check," her mother mumbled in response. She pulled her small purse out from under her arm and began digging through it, in search of the supply list she knew was in there somewhere. "Ah! Here it is!" She thrust the parchment at her daughter.

(Grade 5)

by Miranda Goshawk

Potions and Drafts: A new Variety by Arsenius Jigger
Looking Back: A History on Magic and

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY.

UNIFORM.
Fifth-year students will require:
1. Three sets of work robes with the emblem of your house (black)
standard uniform with a tie of your house colors
plain pointed hat (black) for day wear.
pairs of protective gloves (dragon hide or regular, color of your choice)
winter cloak (color of your choice, silver fastenings)
Please note that all children's clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells by Miranda Goshawk
Potions and Drafts: A new Variety by Arsenius Jigger
Looking Back: A History on Magic and Powerful Wizards and Witches by Ingrid North
The True Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling Jr.
Transforming the Mind with Advanced Transfiguration by Spencer Hobartallion
What to do with Magical Plants and Fungi (With more plants and information than ever before!) by Madam Kaylynn Junglethorpe
Defending Yourself Against the Dark Arts and Creatures by Morris Thimble.

Some students will also require:
A Look into the Future: a Guide to Seeing Beyond by Bijou Terrance
Arithmancy for the Advanced (Volume 2) by Sir Chuffrey Gates
Care for the Mythical: A how-to Guide on taking care of those old childhood 'mythical' creatures by Sir William Gates

OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 3)
3 sets glass or crystal vials
1 telescope
2 sets brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

"So...to Flourish and Blotts?" Meril said, looking up from the parchment to stare at her mother's face.

"To Flourish and Blotts!" Melody repeated. The two set off back down the steps to rejoin to large variety of wizards and witches who traipsed along the cobblestone streets.

They easily fit into the crowd of people. But more than that, they felt at home. Finally, Meril could breathe again. For the past year (or really more for Meril) they had been surrounded by people they were absolutely positive they knew nothing about—strangers. All she wanted to do since she had gotten out of school for the summer was get together with the twins and Lee, but her mom wouldn't let her leave Germany to go see them, saying she would just have to wait until they moved back, and so she was stuck walking around Germany, feeling tense, annoyed, and suffocated.

It was as if she was a muggle.

Meril shuddered at the thought. She couldn't imagine how they functioned. And how narrow-minded they had become! They just couldn't believe that there was magic in the world. It was even coming to the point that the children, who were usually so eager to believe in mermaids, unicorns, and magic itself, were becoming doubtful. All because the adults turned their noses up at it and--in a few families' cases--wouldn't allow the children to think about such 'nonsense'.

"Idiots," Meril mumbled to herself, running a hand through her brown hair.

"I beg your pardon?" Ms. Lizlow said in turn, not having heard what her child said.

"Nothing; just thinking again."

"About Muggles?" Melody said with a smirk.

"...Maybe."

Mrs. Lizlow laughed out loud. "Meril, I have told you already--you aren't living like a muggle at the house. Well, okay, so maybe you are a bit, but that's because you're underage and I'm busy."

"You're always busy!" Meril moaned.

"That's because I have a job, okay? Once you have a job, you'll understand." Ms. Lizlow said the words with such finality that Meril didn't dare argue. Yes, the adolescent was known for her argumentative personality, but that was a trait she had acquired through her mother, so she didn't even bother trying.

"Okay, we're here. Now stop whatever thoughts you're thinking about me and let's go get those books."

Meril found it amazing how easily her mom read her mind.

"I hope they aren't out of the books you need by now," the older of the two mumbled, shoving her daughter into the shop. "It's so late in the season! I'm sorry we got home from Germany so late."

As soon as they entered someone rushed over to help them get their books. Meril smiled at the man before glancing down at the list and reading off all the ones she needed.

"Fifth year, are you?" he inquired as Meril followed him to some shelves in the back. "I've gotten a lot of those in here today. Ah, here you are! Transforming the Mind with Advanced Transfiguration. I haven't read it myself, but I heard it's good. Now what else is on that list?"

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Meril found her mom chatting it up with a man just about her age in the Arithmancy section. His neat golden-blonde hair hung in his hazel eyes. In the short time she observed them, Meril noticed he smiled at her mother often, and when he did wrinkles formed at the sides of his eyes and dimples formed in his cheeks—her mom loved dimples and hazel eyes and well managed hair. It took Meril only about a nanosecond to realize that the man standing there was her mother's dream guy.

"Um, Mom?" Meril interrupted, slowly approaching the two.

She stared at the man, half-expecting him to say the typical line of 'Mom?! You're too young to have a child!'

He didn't.

Instead he smiled in Meril's direction then turned back to her mother and said, "So this is your daughter?"

Melody Lizlow grinned in return and nodded, tucking her dark hair behind her ear. She looked young again, like a typical teenage girl flirting with the cutest guy in school.

"Yeah, this is Meril."

"It's nice to meet you, Meril. I'm Spencer Chatham."

"Hey Mr. Chatham," Meril greeted, nodding in his direction. Turning back to her mom, she said, "Ma, they're going to hold the books here until we're done shopping, okay? I have my name on them and they're paid for and everything. He doesn't want to hold them long so I really think we should get going..."

"Oh! Oh, yes! Of course! Well, you just go outside and I'll be right there!"

Meril did as she was told, since she was an obedient child when it came to her mother. Well, mostly. She still spied on her mom, despite the fact that she knew she had been sent outside so the two could have some privacy.

Meril watched as the man took her mother's hand, bent down to it, and kissed it gently. Melody practically fell over from shock. She smiled brightly at the man--who smiled so warmly in return Meril swore she saw her mom swooning--gave a little wave, and walked out of the store.

Meril quickly positioned herself on the bench so it would look as if she hadn't been spying.

It didn't work.

Mrs. Lizlow walked out of the store and walked right past her daughter, saying as she past, "I saw you."

Meril didn't know if her mom had actually seen or just assumed that she had watched, but it didn't matter. Either way it meant that there would only be one ice cream cone after the shopping was over.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

"I have to say, that is probably the most ridiculous cloak you have ever forced me to buy you!" Melody laughed, licking her ice-cream cone. "Probably also the most expensive, too."

"Hey, at least my uniform from two years ago still fits me!" Meril said in defense. "That saved a pretty penny!"

"Yeah; you should thank my genes that you're small, otherwise you'd be dead right now," her mom joked, though the worry on her face was evident. She was always worried about her daughter's small size.

They sat in a comfortable silence, enjoying the fresh air, until Ms. Lizlow spoke up again.

"Of course, you did insist upon getting several pairs of protective gloves, so I really don't know how alive you still are..."

"I do appreciate your jokes, Ma, really. I mean, who wouldn't want a joke about their life, right?"

"Oh, you know I'm just kidding! I love buying things for you!" Melody Lizlow said, hugging her daughter.

"No you don't."

"Okay, so I don't. But still!"

"Yeah...I don't really trust you anymore."

"I'm offended," said Ms. Lizlow without much fervor.

"Yeah, I can tell."

"So...anyway." Ms. Lizlow licked the drippings of ice cream off her fingers before continuing. "Do you think you have enough money left for the year? You know...Hogsmeade and all..."

"I'm sure I do. If I don't I'll just write you and hope I get a reply within the year."

"Ha ha. Very funny, Mer," her mom sneered; Meril grinned.

"I know; I'm just so hilarious."

"Yeah, yeah. So let's get going, okay?"

"I'm certainly ready to leave."

"Good!"

The two Lizlows stood up, pushed in their chairs, and walked off down the street, their bags of items in tow.

As they passed by Flourish and Blotts, Meril realized that they didn't have the books. She turned towards the door and said to her mom, "I'll get the books. You just meet me at the Leaky Cauldron, alright?"

"Okay! See you there!"

Meril re-entered the bookstore and head right up to the counter. "Meril Lizlow," she told the young woman sitting there; the cashier stared inquiringly at Meril, not having been there earlier when Meril left the books.

The adolescent sighed heavily. "I left books here to be picked up under the name of 'Meril Lizlow.' Could I have them please?"

"Oh, yes! Of course!" the woman squeaked. With great difficulty, she lifted Meril's bag of books and handed them to her.

"Thanks for your business!" the wiry-haired woman chirped as Meril turned to leave.

The teen grumbled something in response as she heaved the books to the door. She stood there for a moment, contemplating how she would open the door without having to put the bag down, when she heard her name being shrieked from behind her.

"Meril!" said two people simultaneously; one was a guy while the other, judging by the screech, was clearly a girl.

"Oh my gosh, it's totally you!" the girl squealed. The next thing Meril knew, she was being hugged from behind.

"It's been so long! I've missed you! You barely said anything in those letters of yours!"

Meril turned and smiled at her old friend, Heather Scarlet. She hadn't changed at all over the years, except maybe getting even bustier. She was still gorgeous, still blonde, and still too perky.

"Hey Heather," Meril greeted, hugging the blonde tightly. She had known Heather practically all of her life and had missed her dreadfully. "How've you been?"

"I've been fine! What about you? When'd you get back from Germany?"

"Um, just yesterday actually."

"Why so late?!" Heather shrieked, appalled.

"Well, my mom was still busy--"

"--as usual," Heather interrupted; the two friends shared a grin. Heather was fully aware of how often Melody Lizlow got tied up with work.

"I'm glad I ran into you. I've missed you all so much!" Meril groaned.

"Oh my gosh, I've missed you," Heather said again, hugging Meril tightly. "It totally stinks that I moved back in first year, right? Otherwise we would've seen you yesterday, and we could've brought over the twins and Lee--"

"How are they?" Meril earnestly interjected; Heather stared at her pleading face and found herself shocked. She had never seen that look on Meril's face before in her life.

"Um, they're um....good, I guess. Still up to their mischief, though it isn't the same without you and your fights. Anyway! I feel totally and completely selfish now! I've been keeping you all to myself when Oliver is right here!"

"Hey, Wood!" Meril greeted, smiling sloppily and staring at the older guy; he smiled awkwardly back. "How've you and the team been?"

"Great. We've been doing great!"

"That's...great. Um, I really should be going. My mom's waiting for me at the Leaky Cauldron. We just got finished shopping. I'll see you guys soon, okay?"

Meril hugged Heather again and then awkwardly hugged Oliver, too. She then waved and turned back to the door, still unsure how to navigate it. Oliver hurried forward and opened it for her.

"Thanks, Wood. You're the best!" she exclaimed, smiling brightly at him. She smiled at Heather—who had tears streaming down her beaming face—once more before trudging her books down to the Leaky Cauldron.

"What took you?" Ms. Lizlow demanded, hands on her hips as if she was actually upset.

"Heather," Meril replied, and it explained it all.


a/n there is the rewrite of Chapter One! For most of them I am not really going to be doing much, just making some things sound nicer and getting rid of things I find unecessary. The content is really the same. But I hope you liked it all the same. I certainly feel much better about it now.

Rewiews are always appreciated!

xox